Prince of Gryffindor
by krisrat
Summary: Someone went mucking about with a timeturner, and Harry is the only one who notices the rather drastic changes. More or less ignores HBP.
1. Prologue

Prince of Gryffindor

Prologue: The way things were

Harry Potter lay in his bed at Number 4, Privet drive, staring up at the ceiling, counting the cracks on each tile. There really wasn't anything better for him to do, since he would be stuck there for at least a few weeks to allow the blood protection afforded him there to rebuild itself. He had just finished his sixth year at Hogwarts, and, though he was mostly over the loss of his Godfather Sirius Black, he still felt abit of sorrow, as well as a healthy dose of injustice at being stuck with his hated relatives again.

It has been a busy year for Harry, ever since the last summer. He had received training from Aurors and professors in dueling, charms, transfiguration and other magics practically every day over the summer, and several times a week during the school year. He had even managed to learn some Occlumency, which allowed him to clear his mind from attack, though not well enough to delve into its counterpart Legilimency, which, when learned, would allow him to invade the mind of another.

Yet it wasn't without a cost. Something that became all too apparent one day during charms class.

He had been outshining his entire class with his skills at dueling and offensive spells, but Professor Flitwick, the diminutive Charms instructor, began a lesson to revise basic day to day charms such as cleaning and repair spells. To his embarrassment, Harry couldn't seem to get them down, due mainly to the fact that when they had been learning them in years past, there was always something going on. Later classes would have the same result. He thought that it was just something he would get over, until Snape of all people called him on it, telling him that he was no better than a muggle if he couldn't understand just how much magic and potions had to do with a wizard's LIFE, not just the way they fought. Harry rebelled at first, but then realized Snape was right.

So now he found himself laying in bed, thinking about all the things that he had missed out on, that he really would have liked to learn, or to try. Enchanting brooms, maybe learning to be an animagus. Finding a girlfriend.

Suddenly feeling abit dizzy, harry decided that he should just get to sleep, and count the days until he was 17. So he lay back, his feet dangling over the edge of the too short bed, his head on a ragged pillow, and fell asleep as the world changed around him.


	2. Chapter 1

Prince of Gryffindor

Chapter 1 – A Changed World

"HARRY JAMES POTTER! YOU HAD BETTER DRAG YOUR LAZY BUTT DOWN HERE IN 1 MINUTE, OR I WILL LOCK UP YOUR BROOM AND GROUND YOU FOR A MONTH!!!!"

Harry awoke with a start at the voice coming from behind the door and downstairs. In his sleep-addled mind, he reflected on the fact that it sounded like his Aunt Petunia was in a right sunny disposition that particular morning, and this would probably be one of those "keep-your-head-down-and-mouth-shut" kind of days. He would get himself out of bed, and get downstairs quickly to avoid as much of her ire as possible.

He rolled across his bed to reach for his glasses, his eyes still closed to get one last bit of rest before the daily grind began, and suddenly froze, his mind snapping into focus as he took stock of his condition. The bed he was in was not the same one he had fallen asleep in the previous night. For one thing it was softer, with many more pillows and very fluffy blankets. His first thought was that he had somehow ended up at Hogwarts, but that didn't seem right. His legs didn't reach as close to the edge of the bed as they used to, either. Then there was the call from downstairs. His Aunt Petunia, even on her nicest days, would never address him by his full name. It was either "boy," "you," "Potter" or some epithet meant to remind him of his place in her heart, or, rather, lack thereof. Then there was the voice. The pitch was wrong, leaning more towards soprano than his Aunt. His eyes snapped open, and he surveyed the room. On a table just next to his bed were a pair of glasses (stylish ones, though when he put them on, they did fit his eyes perfectly) and a wand. He grabbed it, and jumped from his bed.

Gravity seemed odd as his feet touched ground, almost as if his center of gravity had changed overnight. Harry chalked it up to the change in location.

"THAT'S IT! I AM COMING UP THERE AND YOU WILL **NOT** LIKE THE RESULT YOUNG MAN!"

The training from the past year kicked in. Regardless of what it seemed, Harry didn't know where he was, didn't know how he got there, or who was about to come upstairs. He didn't dare risk a spell yet, but instead locked the door to the room and looked around for cover, just in time to hear the doorknob rattle.

"You locked the door. Oh whatever will I do?" The voice was quite sarcastic, Harry noted, meaning probably they would underestimate the welcome he would give them. He listened closely, waiting to see what they would do. "_Alohomora._"

That clenched it. There was a witch coming into the room. Restrictions on underage magic or not, Harry was not about to just let himself fall into whatever trap was being set. He raised his wand as the door swung open to reveal a witch, wearing house robes, and holding a wand loosely. But it was her face that almost caused Harry to drop his wand. Dark red hair, a pale complexion, and beautiful green eyes, though they currently were flashing in anger.

"Mum?" he whispered in shock, and stood rooted to the spot.

The witch with his mother's face seemed confused at his reaction, some of her anger draining from her face at his expression.

"Yes… harry, what's wrong?"

His face was pale as a sheet, he was sure, but he drew a shaking breath. "N…No! You.. you aren't my mother!" he had to convince himself of this. It was a trap, it had to be.

Confusion showed on the woman's face. "Yes I am. Harry, baby, what's going on?"

Anger came, which harry welcomed. Anger he could deal with. "My mother is dead."

"WHAT!" Panic rose on her face. "What are you talking about? Baby, I'm right here."

Baby…. He'd been called that before… by that LeStrange woman. "Wee baby potter.. right?"

"Harry, you're not making any sense."

His wand snapped up into a ready pose. All hesistation was gone. He needed to get away. No doubt there were more Death Eaters nearby, so escape was more important than a vendetta right now. Across from him, the woman's wide eyes seemed to narrow abit. "Put the wand down, Harry. We both know how this will end."

"We'll see, bitch. _Expelliarmus!_" The disarming spell flew from his wand at a speed that surprised the witch, though she was still able to dodge the spell. Harry had anticipated that, and jumped away, but was disoriented again at his reaction time and reflexes. He almost seemed slower than he had been the night before. The witch came up in a ready pose, a stricken expression on her face.

"You want a fight, little boy? Fine, I'll give you one. But don't think I'll hold back, either. _Rictusempra!_" her tickling curse flew with accuracy, but it was countered by a swift shield charm by Harry, and the fight was on.

Harry sent every spell he could think of at the older woman, who seemed at first reluctant to fight him, but as he pressed, she began to fight back. She was good, there was no doubt, but Harry had trained with the best. He forced her to the ground, then caught her with a stunning spell, which knocked her unconscious. Then he bolted from the room.

He took the unfamiliar steps 2 at a time, and raced down them, until he caught sight of a mirror at the bottom of the stairs. He happened to glance into it, and froze, all blood draining from his face.

"No scar…" he whispered, and stepped closer. Then suddenly he realized that his reflection looked younger. Much younger, and not nearly as malnourished as he had been at that age. If he were to guess, he'd put himself at about 13, so probably on his way out of third year. The panic he had been fighting off began to build up inside of him as questions he didn't have answers to rang in his mind, not the least of which was WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WAS GOING ON?!

There was a commotion at the door, and the sounds of laughter, as it opened. Unable to remove himself from the fight or flight mode he was in, Harry tried to break for it, until the door swung open, and three familiar faces entered.

First in was Remus Lupin, his old professor and friend. Yet… his face was different. There was still the haunted look that all werewolves wore, but he was… less ragged. His hair was clean cut, his robes crisp and well cared for. His demeanor even was not the defeated man whom Harry knew, but a quiet confidence.

The second inside the door was one that Harry had been expecting after his encounter upstairs. The man looked just like the pictures Harry had seen of his father, right down to the trademark messy black hair.

The third made Harry's blood run cold. It was his godfather Sirius black, looking much less worn and weary than the last time Harry had seen him, falling through the veil at the department of mysteries.

Anger boiled into rage. How dare these people impersonate his FAMILY! Even though it was a very bad imitation, a mockery of his family it still was. Harry took advantage of the momentary pause, and jumped from the stairwell into a roll and broke into a run. The three men blinked, and the man who looked like Harry's father called out "Harry, what's going on."

"JAMES!" Came a voice from upstairs, and harry cursed silently. Apparently the stunner wasn't strong enough and it was now going to be four-on-one. He couldn't hear the conversation from the living room from his vantage point in a dining room, but then heard a stern voice calling out "HARRY POTTER! What the DEVIL are you thinking!"

_Don't answer… they're just trying to get to you. Find a way out._

"Harry, come on," came the voice of Remus Lupin. "What do you think is going on here?'

"Behind the table," he heard Sirius' voice whisper, and Harry's cover was quickly banished away. Harry reacted instantly, jumping up and tossing stinging hexes, cutters, stunners, and anything else he could think of at the four surprised adults who faced him. He managed to get clear long enough to summon the table between them again, and he bolted for the next room. He hid low behind a counter and listened in on their conversation, making him more confused.

"Merlin's Beard!" Harry heard, thinking just how much the voice sounded like Sirius again, "What have you been teaching that kid, Prongs?"

"This isn't anything he could have learned, Paddy. Something is really wrong here."

"That's not my son," Lily whispered. "He was so cold upstairs, throwing around some really powerful spells."

"Death eater?" Lupin muttered "There are still a few out there. Maybe one of their kids?"

"He fought like an Auror cadet." Lily responded. "but… something was off."

"You're right… like his body wouldn't react fast enough."

"We should call Dumbledore."

"We should get him first. This is going to take all four of us. Lils… I know that whoever that is looks like our boy… but he might not be. We need him taken down."

"I won't hurt my baby!"

"Stunners, then, and locking curses."

"Little snot's probably listening in."

A snort, "well, he at least thinks like a Marauder. Here's the plan…"

Harry cursed silently at his inability to hear their plans. He thought about disapparating, but could sense that not only was there an anti-apparation ward up, among others, but something in him felt like he might not be able to do so. So he just prepared. They would stick to stunners, would they? And they wanted to find Dumbledore? What was going on around here?

"_Stupefy!"_ Came a voice from his left, and a blast of red light narrowly missed his chest. He got up quickly, and threw up his most powerful shield spell and looked around. All the doors were blocked, and the woman who looked like his mother was standing near the only window. Flight was no longer an option.

"_Diffindo!"_ He called out, sending a purple spell out quickly, and the fight was joined. He fought quite well, throwing some very advanced spells at his opponent, who, true to their conversation earlier, didn't cast anything serious enough to cause him undue pain. Out of respect for that, he lowered the curses back to a non-lethal level, allowing him more speed at casting.

But it wasn't enough. The four finally disarmed him, and a teary-eyes woman leveled her wand at him, as the other three men did the same.

"Why?" Lily whispered, anguish in her voice.

"I'll never give your Lord what he wants. Just kill me and get it over with."

"What…" she choked back a sob. "I can't!"

James sighed. "Remus."

"_Stupefy"_

And Harry saw black.

_The three remaining Mauraders and their adopted "Maurader-in-law" stared at the crumped form of the young boy on the floor. Lily began sobbing, and threw herself into her husband's arms. _

"_I don't understand! I thought he was just sleeping in, and then he locked himself in his room… and he treated me like I was some kind of threat!"_

_James just held her, and looked at his two best friends. "Can you guys…" he tossed his head in the direction of the living room._

"_Sure thing, Prongs" Sirius replied. "We'll floo Dumbledore and see if he can figure this out."_

_They left, throwing one more glance at the stunned little boy in the room with his parents, then moved to the living room._

"_What happened?" Sirius asked. "Moony… do you have any idea?"_

"_No, Paddy, I don't. But… did you see his eyes?"_

_Sirius shook his head._

"_They were… intense. Scared, confused. And he reeked of fear, couldn't you smell it?"_

"_Your nose is better than mine, Moony."_

"_Still, there was a lot of it. Padfoot, he thought WE were attacking HIM!"_

_The two reached the fireplace, and Remus grabbed a handful of Floo Powder._

"_Headmaster's office, Hogwarts!" He called, tossing the powder in. the fire turned green, and he stuck his head in the flames. He looked around to see Dumbledore hunched over his desk, working on writing some owls. The old headmaster looked up, and smiled._

"_Ah, Remus. How is everything going?"_

"_Not well, headmaster. Something is seriously wrong over here."_

_The older mans eyes became concerned. "What happened?"_

"_Harry attacked Lily, then the rest of us."_

"_Now remus, Harry may be abit spirited, but I'm sure…"  
"He almost cut her stomach open with a slicing hex, professor. And then started tossing out auror level spells with almost no problems."_

_Dumbledore was on his feet. "Polyjuice?"_

"_That was our first thought. He's on the floor, stunned, at the moment."_

"_I'll come right through."_

_Remus stepped back, and the Headmaster came out, and nodded a greeting to Sirius._

"_Where is he."_

_The three men entered the other room to find lily still in her husband's arm, the body of what appeared to be her son on the floor._

"_I.. I wanted to move him to a bed, but James said that… that we should wait."_

"_James is quite right, lily. If this is not harry, we need all the advantages we can have."_

"_And if it is?"_

"_Padfoot!" Remus snapped. _

"_Sorry, but I had to ask. What if this IS harry?"_

"_Then I shall fetch some veritaserum." The other three gave him startled glances. "My friends, I don't like it either, but if this young man has displayed skills so far above his abilities, then there must be a reason. When we left school last week, he was doing well enough, running about 4__th__ in his class behind longbottom, patil, and granger, but he should not have been able to do this."_

"_What can we do?" James asked._

"_First, we wait. Lily, why don't you put on some tea?"_

"_Enervate"_ Harry heard a familiar voice say, and he looked around to find himself in the hospital wing of Hogwarts, with Headmaster Dumbledore looking at him expectantly.

"Oh thank Merlin, professor. I thought I was done for. How did you get me out?"

Dumbledore cocked an eyebrow. "Why don't you tell me what you remember happening?"

"Well, I went to sleep at ho… at Privet Drive last night, then woke up in an odd bed. And suddenly this… witch comes in my room, looking like my mother. I… I tried to disarm her, and we ended up dueling, but I got away, only to run into three wizards who looked like dad, remus, and… and…"

"And?"

"And Sirius" he whispered. "And I got mad, that they would try to fool me into thinking he was here after he had died like that. So I started fighting. Then they got the better of me, and hit me with a stunner."

Dumbledore tried his best to keep his face impassive. "Is there anything else that seemed odd, harry?"

Harry frowned, then touched his head. "Yeah… my scar is gone. And.. and I look younger, and I don't feel like I've got the reflexes that you and Mad.. you and Professor Moody and Snape tried to drill into me."

This was not what Dumbledore was prepared for. He had thought he would be hearing about the troubled life of a (though he would never say this to lily or james) bratty and spoiled little boy, but stories about training from dead men, and events that never occurred.. this didn't sit well with him.

Harry, meanwhile, was looking around the hospital wing. It seemed… cleaner than the last time he saw it. More decorated… and much less used. Then he saw the name over one of the office doors "L. Potter, Mediwitch Assistant." He closed his eyes, and reached out with his senses as far as he could. He was at Hogwarts, there was no doubt. He could sense the wards that were in place, and the air of magic that almost crackled in his mind, and then he slowly opened his eyes again.

"They weren't death eaters, were they?" Harry asked. Dumbledore shook his head.

"I don't understand what's going on here."

"Harry… my boy, you've given us all a scare, and you've been out long enough to rule out polyjuice, but you must understand this isn't normal behavior for a 13 year old boy."

"16"

Dumbledore blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"16. I turn 17 in less than a month." Harry felt a presence in his mind, and out of reflex, snapped up all of the shield of occlumency that Snape and Dumbledore had taught him. "I'll thank you to stay out of my head, professor."  
Dumbledore had a confused and somewhat disturbed expression. "Harry, I was only trying to get to the bottom of this."

"I'm sorry, sir, but I've had enough people rooting around in my mind, between Riddle and Snape, so I'd rather you not."

_Riddle?_ Dumbledore wondered, _Where did he learn of that name?_

"Then it will have to be Veritaserum, Harry."

"I understand. But I want the reversal potion handy, and I have the right to refuse certain lines of questioning."

Dumbledore nodded, and walked away, to rejoin four of his favorite colleagues in the hall outside.

"Well?" james asked, abit impatiently.

"I don't know, James. He is not under polyjuice, or any other glamour. I tried to… well… I tried to use Legilimency on him.." lily gasped, "but he was able to block me."

They exchanged glances. That was not a feat anyone had ever been able to do as far as they had heard.

"So is he my son?"

"I fear the answer, dear girl, has yet to come to light. I will need some Veritaserum, Professor Lupin."

Remus nodded, and handed him a vial of clear liquid, shrugging at dumbledore's amused glance that he would have it on him.

"I suggest you all wait in here, or at least out of sight. This… may not be pleasant"

They all agreed to stay behind some curtains, at least until the drug was administered. Dumbledore entered the room to find Harry floating a ball in front of him, seemingly effortlessly moving it around with a wave of his hand. Dumbledore glanced at the wand on the far table, then back at the boy.

"Mr. Potter. It is time."

Harry nodded, and floated the ball back to the table. Dumbledore removed the dropper from the tube, and placed three drops of veritaserum on Harry's tongue. Once his eyes had glazed over, indicating the potion was effective, Dumbledore began his questions.

"What is your name?"

"Harry James Potter"  
"How old are you?"

"16"

A cough could be heard from behind the curtains. Nonplussed, Dumbledore continued.

"Where do you live?"

"Number 4 Privet Drive, in Little Whinging."

This time a muffled curse from the hidden group. Dumbeldore was looking quite disturbed.

"Where do you attend School?"

"Hogwarts."

"What house are you in?"

"Gryffindor"

_Well, at least that hasn't changed._

"What classes do you take?"

"NEWT Level Auror training classes."

"Who are your teachers?"

"McGonagall in transfigurations, Moody for DADA, Snape for potions, flitwick for Charms, Sinistra for Astronomy, Hagrid for Care of Magical Creaturs, and yourself and professor moody for advanced dueling training."

Dumbledore wasn't even sure where to begin. "Snape? Hagrid? Moody?"

"yes"

_This is NOT what I was expecting. Alternate universe, perhaps?_

"Why did you attack your mother."

"I believed her to be a death eater trying to confuse or lull me into a false sense of security."

"Why would a Death Eater be after you."

"Because Voldemort wants me dead."

Stunned silence for quite some time.

"What??"

"There was a prophecy made that I would be the one to defeat him, and so he killed my parents, and has been out to get me ever since."

"How did… never mind, that is a road to explore later." For once, Dumbledore was at a loss for words. "Excuse me a moment." He walked to the curtain and held a brief conversation with the people behind it. He listened to them for a moment, and then returned to Harry.

"Harry, do you have any idea what is going on here?"

"Your memory does not match mine."

"Do you have any way to prove your story other than your word?"

"In your memory, how powerful of a wizard am I?"

Dumbledore shrugged. "Moderate. One of the best in your year, no doubt, though not of the school. You are too unfocused."

Harry thought a moment. "I can think of three spells that should convince you."

"What three?"

"Patronus, Protego Maximus, and Apparation."

Dumbledore blinked. "You can conjure a patronus?"

"yes sir. A stag."

"A…." Dumbledore cut himself off.

"_Accio wand."_ He called, summoning his wand to his hand, then "_Expecto Patronum_!"

A fully formed silver stag leapt from his wand, and pranced around the room a moment. All 5 adult wizards gasped.

"A fully corporeal Patronus…."

"Do you wish the other spells to be cast?"

Dumbledore was rapidly losing his calm. This was NOT normal. He should end the line of questioning there, he knew, but… there had to be an answer here somewhere.

"Who…" he stopped, and calmed his mind. "Why did you not believe her to be your mother?"

"My mother died on Halloween, 1981, at the hands of Lord Voldemort, trying to protect me."

"And… the others?"

"My father died just before my mother that same night. Sirius died by falling through the veil at the department of mysteries. Professor Lupin was still alive, last I had heard, though in much worse shape than he is in now." Harry was obviously quite choked up at revealing this last bit of information.

"Harry, my boy, I am going to give you the reversal potion in just a moment, as there can be no doubt that you firmly believe everything you have told me, but you must bear with me a moment. Harry… you mentioned a prophecy… who gave it?"

"Professor Trelawny."

"Sibyll Trelawney?"

"Yes, sir."

"What did it say."

"That I was the only one who could defeat Voldemort, and that either of us had to die at the others hands."

"Did… did you expect to win."

"No. I expected to take him down, but kill myself in the process because I was unprepared to handle a wizard of his power."

"But… didn't you have any hopes beyond that?"

"I wanted my friends to be safe, and I knew when I died that I would see my family again. And Cedric."

"Ced… this just keep going on. Harry, can you answer one more question?"

"Cedric Diggory was the Hogwarts Champion, the real one, in the Triwizard Tournament. We shared the victory and both grabbed the quidditch cup, which turned out to be a portkey taking us to a graveyard. Cedric died at the hands of Peter Pettigrew, and I was forced to give blood to a potion that would bring Voldemort back to life."  
Dumbledore's mind was whirling at all the information he was being handed. There was just too much to assimilate all at once. There was talk of a tri-wizard tournament being set up for the following year, but the talks had just begun. Dumbledore looked at the hollow eyes of the young man in front of him.

"What do you think is going to happen to you?" He whispered. He didn't know harry had heard him.

"I attacked 4 adult wizards with intent to do harm. At the very least my wand will be snapped, and I will probably end up in Azkaban. I can assume by the survival of my family that Voldemort isn't alive in this… universe, I guess. I will either find my way back to finish the prophecy, or face life in prison so I can't hurt anyone else."

Dumbledore heard a sob from behind the curtain, and the rustle of bodies as the four youngest members of his staff held each other, and he sighed. "This bottle is the reversal potion, harry." He said, holding a bottle up. "This one is a sleeping potion. I would like you to take them both."

"Yes sir." Harry responded, and downed both bottles, then fell into a deep and almost immediate sleep.

Dumbledore walked behind the curtain to find a sobbing lily in the arms of her husband, with each of the others wrapping their arms around the couple. Dumbledore's face was a mask of pain.

"Lily… I know this is your son, but.." he stopped, tripping over his own voice a moment, "As a healer?"

Lily potter sniffled, and turned in her husbands arms to face the headmaster. He held her tightly as Sirius rubbed her hair absently.

"He… He is suffering from severe depression, headmaster, bordering on suicidal tendencies. He holds no will to survive, only to complete the job he thinks he was destined to do. He… he doesn't have any hope- he…" she broke down crying again, almost collapsing. "My baby…. What happened to him?"

Dumbledore waved his hands, and two large sofas appeared in the room. He sat in one. Lily sat in another, James on one side, Sirius on another, Remus at her feet, resting his head on her leg. For just a moment, Dumbledore drifted back to their seventh year, remembering seeing them in their common room in a similar position, but reality asserted itself.

"I believe I have some idea as to… when… exactly things changed. I met with a young woman named Sybill Trelawney, a good many years ago. She was descended from a great seer, and I thought she might have the gift herself. In the interview, she showed no talent at all, and I prepared to make my excuses and leave. Suddenly there was a great convergence of magic in the air, as if a prophecy were about to be uttered." He paused. "What happened next, I cannot really say for certain. For just a moment, her eyes locked on the figure of a woman appearing in the room with us, what I assume to be a time turner in hand. Then she shrieked, and fainted. The image of the woman vanished, and I left." He paused, in thought. "Shortly thereafter, Severus appeared to me and informed me of the Dark Lord's plans, cohorts, and location. The rest is history."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Enter the Dreamworld

No one spoke for a long moment, as the four friends clung tightly to each other. Dumbledore was a mask of confusion.

"I admit, my friends, I am at a complete loss. This sort of thing has never happened before. We all know the consequences of violating the laws of Time, but clearly that is what occurred here. Harry… somehow harry has survived the changes, his mind intact. But… what sort of world did he come from?"

"Albus…" Remus began hesitantly, "Harry managed a _corporeal_ Patronus in there… one that was quite literally solid to the point of having mass. That is insanely advanced magic. There is… almost no WAY that any third year student should be capable of such a thing."

"Indeed, Remus. Yet here we are. By all accounts, that boy is Harry. A harry that grew up unloved, and was forced into a hopeless war, one that he was destined to lose."

Sirius spoke up next, "So that boy is Harry. A harry that saw all but one of us killed. What… what do we do?"

Lily sniffled, but responded, "He will need to slowly be acclimated to this situation. R… Remus should stay to help him adjust. I think that James, Sirius, and I should go back home. Rosie will be home soon, and she's waiting for her letter. And…" she glanced down at her stomach, "I need to rest for the sake of this little one. The curse didn't do her or I any harm."

"Her?" James questioned. "Lils, you're only a few weeks along…"

"It's a girl, Jamie. And… she's…" Lily faltered, "She loves her big brother very much."

The other men digested this statement. "She…?"

"Something woke inside her when… when I was near Harry. In fact, I could feel something of my own changing. I can't explain it."

Dumbledore's face took on an odd look at the explanation, but refused to comment just yet. He rose, and embraced his friends. Siruis and James hugged Remus to say goodbye, whispering that they would see him later, and Lily kissed him gently on the cheek, before the three of them left, glancing constantly back to the young man unconscious in the bed at the back of the ward.

Harry awoke a few hours later, and blinked the sleep out of his eyes. Before anything else, he again sent his magic out to see how Hogwarts felt, and again felt the changes that he had sensed before. He sighed, and put on his glasses, then turned to face Remus, who was looking at him oddly.

"Hello professor Lupin," Harry said in greeting. Remus cocked his head.

"You don't have to call me professor, Harry. If you can't manage 'Uncle Remus' at least Moony would work."

Harry nodded, and looked around. "Does Dum… Professor Dumbledore have any idea of what is happening?"

"He suspects someone went mucking with a Time Turner, and you, quite unfortunately, didn't change with the rest of the world."

Harry blinked, "The world changed?"

"Quite a bit, apparently"

"Apparently. I knew Hermione shouldn't have been messing with that thing."

"Hermione Granger?"

"Yeah. She got one in third year to take extra classes. The work exhausted her."

"She was… a friend of yours?"

"My best, honestly. Her and Ron, though Ron was quick to get jealous over petty things. Hermione never left me, even when no one else believed me."

"Girlfriend?" Harry snorted, "Best friend, then?"

"Best anyone could ever have."

"Damn."

"What? Hermione's here, isn't she?"

"She is… but harry… you must understand, things aren't like you remember."

"What do you mean?"

Remus sighed, "You two aren't friends. In fact… I don't recall you ever saying three polite words to each other."

"Then… who do I spend time with?"

"You and Neville are thick as thieves… Ronald Weasley spends most of his time with Dean Thomas and Nathan Bones. I've seen you hang around with Seamus and Andrew, though Parvati, Lavender and Heather have been spending a good deal of time with you and Nev."

Harry blinked, "Who?"

"Neville Longbottom. Oh, and Jennifer spends her time with Ron... I think they've started going steady. That's everyone in Gryffindor in your year"

"Who are… what about Hermione?"

"She's in Ravenclaw, actually, so she doesn't see you often, a fact that many teachers are thankful for."

"Stop! I can't take all this in! Who are all these people you are talking about?"

Remus blinked, "What's wrong? Who specifically?"

"I know who Neville, Dean, Ron, Seamus, Lavender and Parvati are. Hermione was a Gryffindor, with me. I don't know anyone with the names you just used."

Remus thought a moment. "Nathan Bones, Andrew Prewitt, Heather Smythe, and Jennifer MacLeod… you've never met them?"

"The last names are familiar… I think their parents died in the firs… last war."

"That could explain it. There may be more students here than you remember. Is there anyone you'd like to know about?"

"Ron and Ginny?"

"Ahh the weasleys. A nice family, to be sure, but not very well off, which is why they don't really associate with the aristocrats."

"Like?'

"You and Neville. You don't treat them badly, since they are in your house, you just don't really spend time with them."

"Neville?"

"you grew up with him. We spent a lot of time around his family when you were young."

Harry cocked his head. "The Marauders never split up, did they?"

"Well, other than Peter."

"Yeah… did you or Sirius ever get married? Have kids?'

Remus took a long look at Harry's face before slowly answering, "No… And I think we'll leave that topic for now, okay? You knew the answer before, but I'm not going to be the one to explain it to you now, okay?"

Harry nodded slowly, a look of confusion on his face. It was a look he would be wearing often.

"Anything else?"

"Only a few million questions… but I think the main one is… is there any way to fix this?"

"Why would you want to?"

"Because… this is all I've wanted, to have my family back, but… there's a war that I left behind, and they need me. I can't just abandon them. I'm the only one…"

Remus sighed, "we don't know, cub. We'll let you know, okay?"

Harry sighed, "yeah, okay. I just…. This doesn't seem right, even though its… so much more than I ever dreamed of."

"Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

Harry looked up at him, suddenly, as if just now seeming to realize something. "Tell me about my family!"

Remus laughed and nodded. "Alright. Your mother works in the hospital wing here, and teaches the General Healing and Introduction to Mediwizardry courses. Your father is Defense against the Dark arts professor this year, while Sirius teaches flying. They've been switching off the position for the last ten years to beat back the curse. I teach care of Magical Creatures for… obvious reasons." He noticed Harry's wide-eyed look and cocked his head. "What's wrong?"

"The…. Marauders have been teaching at Hogwarts for 10 years? And the school is standing? Is professor McGonagall ok?"

Remus couldn't help it and burst out laughing. "Yes Harry, as hard as it is to believe, Hogwarts has not exploded. Yet." He winked, and Harry laughed. "Let's see… you have a little sister named Rose, and your mother is expecting another one in a few months."

"I have a sister?"

"Yes you do, and she's going to be starting Hogwarts next year. Her letter should be delivered soon."

"Am I good brother?" The thought seemed to concern Harry abit.

"Well… when you aren't letting pixies loose in her room, or stuffing her underwear down the kitchen drain, yes you are. And when she isn't lining your shorts with itching powder or putting a" Remus winced, "Testicle biting charm on your broom she's a good sister."

"What? When did this happen?"

Remus bowed his head alittle. "Last Thursday."

"All of them!"

"Yes."

"I'm a brat!"

"No you aren't." Came a voice from the doorway. Harry glanced over and noticed Sirius standing at the door. "Sorry to eavesdrop…" he didn't look sorry at all, "But I decided I wanted to double back and check on things, and let James and Lily have some time alone." He pulled a chair over to Harry's bed and sat down. "You're very spirited, and definitely a handful. And sometimes, yes, you can get out of hand. But we all love you very much, and don't let that bother us."

Harry sighed. "Do they still want me?"

The two older men sucked in a breath. "Why wouldn't they?"

"Because I attacked them. And you two."

A horrible supposition came to Remus's mind. "Harry…. Before the change… you said you lived with the Dursleys?"

"Yeah."

"How did they treat you?"

Harry's head snapped up, and looked Remus in the eye for a long moment. "I don't think I should tell you."

"Why not, cub?"

"Because you won't like the answer, and you'll try to take it out on the Dursley's here, and they haven't done anything!"

Sirius snorted. "Fat chance of that. Vernon and Petunia Dursley are both in prison, detained at her majesty's pleasure for child abuse."

"WHAT??"

"Apparently, the courts took exception to the way they raised their son Dudley, not controlling him at all, and when they had a daughter, who turned out to be a witch, well, after her first bout of accidental magic they apparently struck her and… Needless to say she has been adopted and they have been thrown in jail. Harry what's wrong?" Harry's face had gone completely red, and he was obviously furious.

"THE FIRST BLOODY TIME! You mean I put up with being beaten, locking in an effing cupboard, hit with a frying pan and being treated like a freak my ENTIRE LIFE AND NO ONE DID ANYTHING, but the first time they treated someone else like that THEY GET SENT TO BLOODY PRISON?" In an impressive feat of wandless magic, every glass in the room shattered, and Harry's voice suddenly got very, very cold. "How did they find out."

"One of her teachers saw the bruise…" Sirius said slowly, but was cut off.

"Go get Dumbledore."

"Harry, our Dumbledore had nothing to do with this" Remus said.

The fury seemed to wash away from Harrys face and he slumped over. "You're right. Its just… why didn't anyone notice what was going on with me?"

"I don't know, pup." Sirius responded.

Harry rubbed his temples, and then took off his glasses. "I'd like some time alone, please. But, tell my mum and dad" his voice caught, "my mum and dad and sister that I'd like to see them again, please."

"Alright, Harry. You get some rest, and then we'll take you home." With that, Remus lead Sirius from the room, and closed the door after them. Harry finally allowed the emotions he had been suppressing catch up to him and he cried himself to sleep.


End file.
